MorganFranklin Cyber Taps Veteran for Critical Infrastructure Defense

NEW YORK, NY – February 10, 2026 – In a strategic move to bolster its defenses for the nation’s most vital systems, MorganFranklin Cyber announced the promotion of Chris Rose to Managing Director. The appointment signals a significant investment in the firm's Architecture, Engineering & Infrastructure/OT (AEGIS) practice, coming at a time when the cybersecurity of operational technology and critical infrastructure has become a paramount national security concern.

Rose’s elevation from Senior Director of AEGIS underscores the advisory firm's commitment to tackling the increasingly sophisticated threats aimed at sectors like energy, manufacturing, and utilities. He will now lead the charge in developing secure-by-design architectures and maturing integrated security programs for clients navigating the perilous convergence of digital and physical systems.

“Chris’s promotion reflects the significant impact he has made on our firm and on the organizations we serve,” said Keith Hollender, CEO of MorganFranklin Cyber, in a statement. “His ability to bring structure, clarity, and technical excellence to high stakes environments has accelerated our growth and strengthened our leadership in OT and security engineering.”

A Response to Escalating Threats

The timing of this leadership enhancement is critical. The market for protecting operational technology (OT)—the hardware and software that controls physical processes—is expanding rapidly in response to an escalating threat environment. For years, many OT systems in critical infrastructure were isolated and relied on proprietary, aging technology not designed for internet connectivity. The ongoing digital transformation and the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and OT networks have erased these air gaps, exposing power grids, water treatment facilities, and manufacturing plants to a new breed of cyberattacks from nation-state actors and sophisticated criminal groups.

Key challenges in this arena include securing legacy systems that are difficult to patch, managing the new attack vectors created by IT/OT integration, and navigating a complex web of regulatory standards. Furthermore, a significant skills gap persists, with a shortage of professionals who possess dual expertise in both industrial control systems and modern cybersecurity practices. MorganFranklin Cyber's move to place a seasoned leader like Rose at the helm of its AEGIS practice is a direct response to this market demand for highly specialized guidance.

The Depth of a Defense-Oriented Expert

Chris Rose's background makes him uniquely suited for this high-stakes role. His experience extends far beyond typical corporate cybersecurity, rooted in over a decade of defense-oriented work. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Rose served for six years, a tenure that included a role as the country Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Republic of Georgia. There, he was tasked with building and protecting critical USMC cyber architecture within a highly contested and vulnerable threat environment.

This real-world experience in national security was followed by a rigorous academic pursuit, earning him both an MBA and a Master of Computer Science from UCLA. Rose then joined MITRE, a federally funded research and development center, where his work as a cybersecurity engineer led to the identification of over 1,000 vulnerabilities in sensitive national security software. His contributions were not just in finding flaws but in proposing concrete solutions to fortify these critical systems.

Beyond his corporate roles, Rose is deeply embedded in the cybersecurity community. He is the founder of Ariento, a firm providing cybersecurity and compliance services, and serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit SecureTheVillage. His commitment to fostering the next generation of security talent is evident in his work teaching cybersecurity and privacy at UCLA and other institutions, ensuring his deep field experience is passed on to future defenders.

Navigating the Future of Security: AI and Cloud

In his new capacity, Rose is tasked not only with defending against current threats but also with preparing clients for the future of security. His mandate includes expanding the firm's capabilities in emerging domains like AI enablement and Secure Cloud as Code. The integration of Artificial Intelligence into business operations presents a double-edged sword: it offers powerful new tools for threat detection but also introduces new vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors that must be managed proactively.

Similarly, as organizations migrate to the cloud and adopt Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to automate their environments, security can no longer be an afterthought. The AEGIS practice under Rose’s leadership will focus on embedding security into the very fabric of development and operations, ensuring that cloud architectures are secure by design from their inception. This proactive, “shift-left” approach is essential for preventing misconfigurations and vulnerabilities that attackers are quick to exploit.

“Working alongside our talented teams and exceptional clients has been a defining part of my career,” Rose stated. “I’m proud of what we’ve built together and excited to continue expanding our capabilities, enhancing our delivery model, and helping organizations navigate an increasingly complex technology and threat landscape.”

Backed by private equity firm M|C Partners, MorganFranklin Cyber has established a global presence with 12 offices from New York to Hyderabad. This promotion is a clear indicator of the firm’s strategy: investing in specialized, high-impact leadership to solidify its position as a premier advisor for securing the complex digital transformations shaping every industry. By placing an expert with deep defensive and technical acumen in charge of its critical infrastructure practice, the firm is sending a clear message about its readiness to protect the assets that matter most.